Factors influencing information communication technology utilization among student teachers of Malaysian Research Universities

The purpose of this correlational study is to investigate the extent of ICT utilization and its relationship with ICT attributes, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitudes toward ICT use, and facilitating conditions among student teachers in Malaysian Research Universities. It also sought to determine the availability of the conditions that facilitate ICT utilization among student teachers. In addition, the study determined whether perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitudes toward the use of ICT, ICT attributes and facilitating conditions are predictors of ICT utilization among student teachers. The data were collected from the target population of student teachers in RU1, RU2, RU3, RU4, and RU5 (N = 3565). A stratified random sample of 349 student teachers were selected and a set of questionnaires were distributed. The reliability testing yielded an acceptable internal consistency of .79. Descriptive statistics were employed to describe and summarize the attributes of the data collected from respondents. Pearson’s Product Moment coefficient was conducted to determine the relationship between individual independent variables of the study and the extent of ICT utilization by student teachers. In addition, multiple regression was used to predict the value of a dependent variable (ICT utilization) based on the value of independent variables. The findings of the study indicated that the level of ICT utilization among student teachers was moderate, suggesting they were not using ICT as it should be. The findings revealed that the main use of ICT by student teachers was limited to typing assignments, PowerPoint presentations, doing online search, e-mailing, and chatting with friends. This result indicated that most student teachers use ICT as a productivity tool to complete simple tasks. Results of data analysis revealed that student teachers’ perceptions varied across the five ICT attributes. Their responses were positive about the relative advantage of ICT and were negative about the complexity of ICT. The results of the study indicated that there was a significant relationship between ICT attributes (r = .22), and facilitating conditions (r = .33), and ICT utilization by student teachers. In addition, perceived usefulness (B=.1954, p < 0.05), and perceived ease of use (B=.3005, p < 0.05) has a significant effect on attitude toward use of ICT. The findings of the present study showed that all eight facilitating conditions were present in the Malaysian Research Universities. Conditions “Commitment by those who are Involved” (M = 3.79, SD = 0.57), “Knowledge and Skill Exist” (M = 3.73, SD = 0.46), “Resources are Available” (M = 3.64, SD = 0.50), “Time is Available” (M = 3.63, SD = 0.57), and “Leadership is Evident” (M = 3.56, SD = 0.55), were found to have highest presence in the Malaysian Research Universities. The study results also revealed that variables namely attitude toward ICT use (β = .33, p <.05), knowledge and skill (β =.25, p < .05), and resources (β =.21, p < .05) were found to be significant predictors of ICT utilization by student teachers. The study concludes that the level of ICT utilization among student teachers was moderate. It is recommended that the university administration should take actions such as provide an appropriate support for academics and training course and required resources to support the use of educational technology among student teachers. It is also recommended that future research should involve large sample and include more variables such as subjective norm, level of self-efficacy, intentions to use and other related variables to measure ICT utilization among student teachers in Malaysia.

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